Scouts Canada Maple Syrup Camp

It's spring and time to start camping!

After a long winter and several Covid-cancelled events, the 3RD OTTAWA SCOUTING GROUP got back out in the field with a Spring Maple Syrup Camp.  More than 25 Scouts and Leaders set up camp at the Branson Family Sugar Bush for Maple Weekend and learned all about making maple syrup.  Not only did they see how syrup is made on a modern evaporator they also got to learn about tapping, tree identification and got to put their new skills to work making their own syrup over a wood fire.

Last year their camp had to be cancelled due to Covid and replaced with a virtual tour of the Sugar House.  After the meeting it was unanimously decided that for 2022, they'd camp at the sugar bush if at all possible!  Over the past year several meetings have included sessions on cooking.  The theme for the spring camp was "cooking with maple syrup".  Of course, there were the perennial favorites of pancakes and French toast.  These were topped off with other outstanding meals of maple grilled salmon and chicken, maple fajitas and maple glazed pizza.  No one was going home hungry!

Lots of questions were asked and answered about making syrup and especially about how we filter it to produce nice crystal clear syrup.  Headed back to their campsite full knowledge they collected their own sap, spent all day boiling it down over a large fire and filtered it themselves.  This next morning was the "Gordon Ramsay Taste Test" between the Branson Family Sugar Bush syrup and the 3rd Ottawa.  Let's just say, the 3rd Ottawa's syrup had a very unique and complex flavour. 

No camp is complete without a hike.  The Scouts were led by Baloo, one of our German Shorthaired Pointers, who was happy to show them the trails and his favorite spots including his swimming hole at the beaver pond.

By all accounts everyone had a great time and will have lasting fond memories.

It was wonderful to have 3rd Ottawa visiting and we look forward to seeing them back soon!